University of Connecticut Athletics
Baseball Set to Open 2011 Season Friday
2/16/2011 12:00:00โฏAM | Baseball
Feb. 16, 2011
STORRS, Conn. - The University of Connecticut baseball team will open the 2011 season this weekend with three games in Florida for the BIG EAST/Big Ten Challenge. The Huskies will face Purdue at Dunedin Stadium on Friday night at 7:30 p.m. to begin the program's 116th season.
UConn, ranked No. 22 in the country by the USA Today/ESPN Top-25 Coaches' baseball preseason poll and No. 9 according to Baseball America; two of the top polls in the country, will face three strong Big Ten teams this weekend in Purdue, Minnesota and Michigan.
During the last two years of the BIG EAST/Big Ten Challenge, UConn is 3-3 against Big Ten opponents after defeating 2010 Big Ten Champion Minnesota last season at Al Lang Stadium in St. Petersburg, Fla. UConn has only faced Purdue and Michigan one time prior to the 2011 season as the Huskies will look to defeat the Boilermakers and Wolverines for the first time in program history.
The Huskies will face both Minnesota and Michigan at Jack Russell Stadium in Clearwater. UConn's contest against the Golden Gophers will take place on Saturday, Feb. 19 at 4:00 p.m., while its game against the Wolverines will be on Sunday at 10:00 a.m.
A LOOK AT THE 2011 HUSKIES
Head coach Jim Penders is entering his eighth year at the helm of the University of Connecticut baseball team. At the conclusion of the 2010 season Penders was named the New England Intercollegiate Baseball Association, BIG EAST Conference, ECAC and Diamond/ABCA NCAA Division I Regional Coach of the Year. It was the second time he received the NEIBA and BIG EAST Conference awards.
Penders' 2011 squad is hoping to build off of last year's record breaking season. The 2010 Huskies won a school-record 48 games and went on to host an NCAA Regional. The program gained national recognition when it made Baseball America's Top 25 Poll for the first time ever on April 12, 2010. The Huskies climbed as high as 13th in the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Poll while riding a 22-game win streak.
Gone from last year's team are graduated seniors Doug Jennings, Trent DeLazzer and Matt Burnett. The Huskies will also have to fill the void left by Mike Olt (Texas Rangers 1st supplemental round selection) and Pierre LePage (Chicago Cubs 13th round selection). Despite the losses, the 2011 Huskies return a veteran group, including seven position players who started more than 30 games in 2010. The pitching staff lost only 25.2 innings from last year's team. The program is looking to use this experience from past years to reach its lofty goals. The Huskies will be led in 2011 by co-captains Elliot Glynn (Long Beach, Calif.) and Nick Ahmed (East Longmeadow, Mass.).
PITCHERS
The Huskies' pitching staff is coming off a strong campaign in 2010. The unit finished the year ranked 17th in the country and first in the BIG EAST Conference in ERA. Senior captain Elliot Glynn (Long Beach, Calif.) is back after turning down a professional contract over the summer. The southpaw has been making conference starts since his freshman year and will be relied on to set the tone for the weekends yet again. Junior Matt Barnes (Bethel, Conn.) is coming off a very successful sophomore campaign that led to him pitching for the USA Collegiate National Team over the summer. Barnes was recently named to the Louisville Slugger Preseason All-America Third Team.
Both Barnes and Glynn were All-BIG EAST performers last season. Senior Greg Nappo (Madison, Conn.) has been a consistent workhorse and winner (15 career wins) during his career and will be asked again to make regular starts on Sundays. Nappo also had an opportunity to move on to professional baseball but chose to return to Storrs for his final season.
Senior Bob Van Woert (Johnson City, N.Y.) has anchored the non-conference portion of the Huskies' rotation and has been a reliable conference spot-starter since his arrival at UConn. The senior right-hander has enjoyed a lot of success in that role going 13-6 during his career. There will be a lot of competition for the remaining starter roles as junior David Fischer (Scotia, N.Y.) endured some setbacks during the 2010 season but still managed to make an impact in limited innings.
Redshirt sophomore Will Jolin (Guilford, Conn.) and sophomore Pat Butler (Chatham, N.J.) both have the ability to make quality starts for the Huskies. Freshman Brian Ward (Milford, Conn.) had a productive fall and could also make his way into the rotation.
Going into the 2010 season, the area with the most question marks was the Husky bullpen. That group went on to compile a 2.98 ERA and for the most part exceeded expectations. The group was led by junior stopper Scott Oberg (Tewksbury, Mass.) and junior closer Kevin Vance (Solana Beach, Calif.). Both Oberg and Vance have the mental makeup and physical ability necessary in end-of-the game pitchers. When fellow junior Nick Ahmed steps away from his everyday position at shortstop and toes the rubber, he arguably has the best stuff of the group.
Sophomore Dan Feehan's (Nashua, N.H.) great movement and fearless approach helped him emerge as another quality option during the 2010 season. Sophomore Ryan Moore (Bristol, Conn.) has power stuff and great athleticism to bring into the mix. Redshirt junior Ted Hurvul (Monroe, Conn.) and redshirt sophomore Michael Zaccardo (Greenwich, Conn.) will also be leaned on for quality outings out of the pen.
Sophomore Stephen Catalina (Wolcott, Conn.) has a big arm and will have his share of opportunities this spring, while freshmen David Mahoney (Colchester, Conn.) and Carson Cross (Brentwood, N.H.) had productive falls and will find themselves in the mix as well. Fellow freshmen Anthony Marzi (Berlin, Conn.) and Kurt Marut (Wilton, Conn.) have the ability to contribute as well.
OUTFIELD
The outfield unit that played solid defense, hit a combined .353 and stole 90 bases in 2010 is back. The group is led by junior George Springer (New Britain, Conn.). Springer had another impressive spring for the Huskies in 2010 and then carried it over to a successful summer with Team USA. He was named to the NCBWA Preseason All-America Third Team as well as the Louisville Slugger Preseason First Team. Junior John Andreoli (Shrewsbury, Mass.) puts together consistent at-bats, steals bases and plays great defense. Andreoli made 58 starts in 59 games played in 2010. Along with Andreoli, redshirt sophomore Billy Ferriter (Nashua, N.H.) is a potential candidate to take over the lead-off spot in 2011. Ferriter is the former New Hampshire Gatorade Player of the Year in football and has continued his steady growth and maturity as a baseball player. Ryan Moore made strides at the plate throughout the fall and is a steady defender as well. Freshman Anthony Aceto's (North Providence, R.I.) bat will press for time this spring as well.
CATCHERS
Seniors Joe Pavone (Rochester, N.Y.) and Doug Elliot (Rocky Hill, Conn.) will again provide the Huskies with two veteran options behind the plate. Pavone is coming off a successful summer in the Cape Cod League in which he made the prestigious league's All-Star team. Elliot swung a hot stick all fall after an All-Star campaign of his own in the NECBL.
Junior John Sulzicki (Stratford, Conn.) made the Prospect League All-Star team last summer, marking the second time in two years that he garnered such recognition from his summer league. He and freshman Zack Walsh (Batesville, Ind.) will serve as the other options behind the plate. Sulzicki could also provide a valuable left-handed bat off the bench.
INFIELD
The infield will be without Mike Olt and Pierre LePage for the first time in three seasons. Yet, the coaching staff feels there are quality options to fill those vacant spots.
The group welcomes back the program's all-time hits leader in Mike Nemeth (Washington, N.J.). Nemeth was an ABCA All-American at the conclusion of last spring and was named a preseason All-American for 2011 by the same publication. Co-captain and starting shortstop Nick Ahmed was an All-BIG EAST performer in 2010 and followed it up with a strong summer in the Cape Cod Baseball League. Ahmed will be counted on to help set the table for the middle of the order, steal bases and continue his strong defensive play.
Kevin Vance, a 2010 All-BIG EAST Second Team selection, is a candidate to start at third base. Vance put up strong numbers at the plate last spring and will be needed in the lineup and on the mound as the Huskies' closer. Sophomore LJ Mazzilli (Greenwich, Conn.) could be a middle of the order bat this spring and is a possible fit to take over at second base.
Junior Ryan Fuller (Old Lyme, Conn.) came over from UConn-Avery Point and was impressive this fall. Fuller could very well work himself into the lineup at either third or as a designated hitter. Junior Tim Martin (Stratford, Conn.) improved this fall and is another candidate for the second base job, while freshmen Tom Verdi (Warwick, R.I.) and Mike Friel (Belle Mead, N.J.) both had some success in the fall and could find themselves in the lineup with continued improvement. Freshman Kevin Solomon (Wayne, N.J.) swings a good stick from the left side and will provide depth at first base and in the outfield.
SCHEDULE
In 2011, the University of Connecticut baseball team is scheduled to play 56 regular season games, including 16 games against teams that competed in the 2010 NCAA Tournament.
The 16 games will be played against nine different opponents, including Central Connecticut, College of Charleston, Louisville, Minnesota, Oregon State, St. John's, San Diego, Southern Miss., and UC Irvine. Prior to BIG EAST competition, UConn will play three programs that won their respective conference titles in 2010 as San Diego won the West Coast Conference, Minnesota won the Big Ten and Southern Miss took home the Conference USA crown.
The Huskies will play in three different time zones and 11 different states, including California, Connecticut, Florida, Indiana, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Texas.
UConn has also scheduled 14 games against teams that finished in the top-50 RPI in 2010 as the Huskies will face California, College of Charleston, Louisville, Oregon State, St. John's, San Diego and UC Irvine. Five of UConn's first 13 opponents faced are on that list. Only two of those contests will be on the Huskies' home field, resulting in a very challenging schedule on the road for the Huskies this season.
UConn will host 17 games at J.O. Christian Field, two at Thomas J. Dodd Stadium in Norwich, Conn. and one at New Britain Stadium in New Britain, Conn. The Huskies will host five BIG EAST series in 2011 with games against Pittsburgh and St. John's in Storrs.
The Huskies will play two of their three games against Georgetown, USF and Louisville at J.O. Christian Field, while playing one contest at a minor league ballpark. The Huskies will host Georgetown on Friday, April 22 at New Britain Stadium and will take on both USF (May 7) and Louisville (May 13) at Dodd Stadium.
"I believe our 2011 schedule is our toughest yet," said head coach Jim Penders. "The BIG EAST was rated the sixth-strongest conference in the nation last year, and we'll have plenty of tests in February and March to prepare us for the rigors of competing for a championship. We're also looking forward to bringing some regular season BIG EAST games to Norwich and New Britain with the hope that thousands of Husky fans will come out to see us under the lights in two beautiful ballparks this spring."
Following the BIG EAST/Big Ten Challenge this weekend, the Huskies will head to the College Classic (Feb. 25-27) hosted by Texas A&M - Corpus Christi, where they will face Oregon State and Indiana as well as Texas A&M - CC.
The Huskies' spring break trip in March brings them back to the west coast as they traveled there a year ago. UConn will face San Diego State, California and UC Irvine, while the University of San Diego will host four games against the Huskies in a span of five days.
After returning to Connecticut to face instate-foe Sacred Heart in Bridgeport, UConn will participate in the Cougar Invitational in Mount Pleasant, S.C., where the ballclub will take on Rhode Island, College of Charleston and Southern Mississippi.
Beginning on March 21, the Huskies return to New England to take on non-conference opponents Northeastern, Holy Cross and Yale. The Huskies' home-opener against Holy Cross is set for March 22 at 3:00 p.m.
BIG EAST Conference play begins on March 25 as UConn will host Pittsburgh in a three-game series at J.O. Christian Field. The following weekend UConn will host 2010 BIG EAST Tournament Champion St. John's beginning on Friday, April 1 before a home-and-away series with Massachusetts. The Huskies head to South Bend, Ind. for a three-game series at Notre Dame on April 8 to mark their first conference road series of the season.
The Huskies will face both Villanova (April 15-17) and Rutgers (April 29-May 1) on the road, while they will host Georgetown (April 21-23), USF (May 7-9) and Louisville (May 13-15) in three conference series. The Huskies conclude the 2011 regular season with its final league series on the road at Cincinnati (May 19-21).
The BIG EAST Baseball Championship will once again be played in Clearwater, Fla. at Bright House Field and will take place May 25-29. The NCAA Tournament begins June 3 with regional competition.
Click here for the 2011 UConn Baseball Schedule.
